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Ken, it is actually an old Scottish word from "laddie" and more correctly should be spelled "laddiing" as in "drop the /e/ when adding /ing" rule .. it is an early reference to a Saturday night pub sport where the laddies were sorted from the lassies by applying the sporan grip and seeing if you came up empty handed ..
.. alternatively I suggest that our hey nonny nonny mouse refer to the verb "lade" in any respectable dictionary ..
Wizard of Oz, Australia. 10/11/03.